Management

Vomiting is common in drowning victims and aspiration of gastric contents is a major complication. Spontaneously breathing children should initially be placed in the lateral decubitus position.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is a common consequence of drowning.
Remove wet clothes and dry child
Exposure should be minimised
Active warming should occur if core temperature is less than 34C.
This includes:

Warmed IV Fluids

Humidified oxygen delivery

Forced air warming blankets

Investigations:

Children who are asymptomatic and alert require no investigations.
Further investigations should be guided by the child’s history and clinical condition

Chest X-ray findings do not correlate with clinical outcomes

Altered mental state in the absence of significant hypoxia should prompt a search for reasons other than drowning as a cause, e.g. hypothermia, Traumatic brain injury, co-existent medical condition, hypoglycaemia.